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Jagr, Hemsky, Gagner, Jones, Paajarvi, and other Rumors |
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Happy Sunday! Follow me on Twitter: @rdcloutier
I've enjoyed the last 24. I've been blogging out of my mind lately. The Oilers did a few things on Saturday, but it's nice that things are finally calming down. Back to one blog per day, unless something major happens.
On Saturday...
The Oilers re-signed Ryan Jones. A good move. Jones had a bad season in 2012/2013, but he's a useful player. Can play 3rd or 4th line minutes, brings a physical edge, is well liked in the room, and his best attribute is killing penalties...Something all teams need. Very happy to have him back. Most of Oilerville is, too. Well, you can't blow up everything all in one summer, can you?
Also on Saturday, the Oilers signed a #3 goalie in Reggie Bachman. Randy Bachman? Ricky Bachman? Reginald Bachman. Does anyone know what his first name is? Apparently, he played for the Stars last season. Within an 82 game sched, there's always a time when at least one goalie gets hurt. Reinhold Bachman will be there to fill in.
Things are shaping up okay for the Oilers this off-season. Just okay. Re-signing Jones was an obvious thing to do, as much as it was a good move.
I've been blasted over the last 24 by people saying I'm dumb over defensive pairings. Apparently, Nick Schultz, Anton Belov and Andrew Ference all can be right or left pairing defensemen. Whatever. My point is and continues to be, the Oilers would be best with three righties and three lefties. I believe I heard Bob Stauffer say one time on his show (and if it was someone else, forgive me) the plan is to have four puck-movers, two beasts, and to have a collective group of six who are all tough to play against. No more Ryan Whitney half-assed attempts to move the puck out of the zone. Hey, as much as I talk about the Oilers potentially dealing Smid, the boy is a warrior, make no mistake. He gives the level of effort you want from your D. We need six guys who try that hard this season.
The Oilers still haven't answered their two big off-season questions: 2nd line LW and left-pairing Top 2 D.
The LW answer could be Magnus Paajarvi, if he plays like he did towards the end of last season, and if the Oilers don't deal him first. But Paajarvi is a two-way guy. There's never going to be a point where we see him in West Edmonton Mall shopping for sneakers, and we say to ourselves, "hey, there goes 30 Goal Paajarvi!" If he becomes a 20g, 40pts guy who isn't a clown in his own zone, he's a success.
Hearing from various people the Oilers are interested in Jaromir Jagr. Remember that one time when Jagr gave Edmonton a 2nd place ribbon and signed elsewhere? He's open to playing in Canada, and he sorta owes Edmonton one. He's actually such a classy guy, he'd even look at it that way.
But Jagr will tell you that part of the reason he almost came to Edmonton was thanks to his friendship with Ales Hemsky. Hemsky was doing plenty of arm-twisting back then. Now? Hemsky is packing his suitcase and heading out...ummm...west? South? East?
If Jagr signed on the condition Hemsky stuck around, could the Oilers make peace with the winger? Could the team attempt having three offensive lines instead of two?
L1: Hall - Nugent-Hopkins - Eberle
L2: Paajarvi - Gagner - Yakupov
L3: Jagr - Gordon - Hemsky
L4: Junior Jub-jubey Finnish Guy We just signed - Lander - Jones
ex: Smyth and Brown
Maybe Jagr is the solution to the Hemsky Problem. The Oilers have been trying to deal him for months, if not years. What they are trying to deal is the Hemsky who got 70pts and looked like one of the most skilled wingers in the world. The Hemsky that cared. But teams, all they see now is the often-injured, often-disinterested, often-unproductive Hemsky.
I'm not saying Hemsky is going to stay for-sure and that Jagr won't come if he isn't here. It's just a thought. An idea. A musing. Maybe Jagr comes, and maybe he's the one who can wake Ales Hemsky up. If the Oilers are a playoff team, both stick around for the full year. If the Oilers aren't, both get dealt at the deadline. Everyone wins.
The Oilers would have plenty of cap room for both, and I'd rather Ales Hemsky plays for us than is given away from an asset that isn't going to help us. This isn't Shawn Horcoff we're talking about, friends. Hemsky has value.
In other news, the concern over Sam Gagner's status is a little over-the-top. Gags, from what I hear, is going to file for arbitration. He saw Andrew Ference get a No Movement Clause from the Oilers, so that will strengthen his case for one. I'm not sure money is the issue at this time, as the UFA blitz more or less put Gags in the $4.75mil per season range. I think the issue is term, and Gagner wanting a no trade clause. I'm not sure the Oilers are doing anyone a favor not coughing it up. The majority of people I speak to want Gagner to get a five year deal between $20mil - $25mil. Most people don't want him to go.
And as we've seen a number of times, just because a guy has a NTC doesn't mean you can't deal him. If I was Gagner, living through six years of constant trade rumors, I'd ask for one too.
Other stuff:
- Hearing nothing indicating the Oilers have any real interest in Mikhail Grabovski, Peter Mueller or Tom Gilbert.
- Talk about a deal with the Flyers died right down on Saturday.
- The Oilers could look at a deal to acquire Thomas Vanek, but that one is going to cost us something significant. It ain't going to be no Ales Hemsky deal. My guess? You're looking at the Oilers 1st round pick in 2014, plus a conditional 1st round pick in 2015 if he re-signs with the team. Shades of the Phil Kessel deal all over the place.
- As for teams who could look at Hemsky, I'd guess the Islanders, Sabres, Coyotes are the most likely suspects. I'd include Ottawa, but it sounds like the owner is living in a cardboard box now. Their self-imposed cap won't allow for Hemsky's contract. Perhaps Hemsky could be part of a deal to get Vanek, but the Oilers would need to throw in much, much more for that to happen.
- After today's signing of Robbie Bachman, and yesterday's signing of Hanna Barbera, the Oilers are not looking to deal for a goalie. They're giving Dubnyk a season to show his stuff. Maybe if the Sabres offered Ryan Miller straight up for Dubnyk you could see a deal, but we all know that isn't going to happen. Would Miller actually play in Edmonton? Hard to imagine.
Oilers To-Do list might be down to two players now. Weird, considering it still doesn't really seem like the team has done anything significant. The one thing I am happy about is Ference and Gordon will bring the Oilers much-needed physical emotion that was completely lacking last season. Jones admitted today that he needs to crank up the intensity. If Hemsky is still here, he better wake up, too.
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • 
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